


bananas got us falling in love

by youaremystyle



Category: SHINee
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 00:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15545502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youaremystyle/pseuds/youaremystyle
Summary: Every Valentine's Day since 4th grade, Taemin has received an elaborate Valentine from a mystery lover.Senior year, however, is a little different.





	bananas got us falling in love

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a little 2min oneshot just in time for Valentine's Day! I hope you all enjoy it. I got the idea while looking at cheesy Valentine's Day cards online, and I thought to myself, "this totally looks like something Minho would give Taemin" (or vise versa)
> 
> crossposted from aff

Taemin never thought inappropriately low or high of himself.

He was an average guy, really. Good looks, good grades, good family, good friends.

 _Good_ was his life. Neither bad nor excellent. Just good.

So, it always shocked him when he received rather elaborate Valentines every February 14th, complete with chocolates, candies, stuffed animals, and a rather length letter declaring his undying love for Taemin.

_"It's probably some poor girl who's too shy to confess," Taemin's childhood friend, Kim Jongin had said casually freshman year, whistling at the fourty dollar box of chocolate the Valentine had come with, "she'd rather just watch your reaction opening it than coming forth."_

For a while, Taemin thought it was a joke. In fact, he threw away the first couple Valentines because he thought someone was playing a rather cruel practical joke on him - it wouldn't be unheard of, unfortunately. Pranks like these were rather common in his school. However, as Taemin got older, the Valentines slowly became more personalized - longer, more heartwarming letters, coupons to his favorite chicken restaurant, small, thoughful trinkets... It was endearing, really, and as Taemin grew accustomed to receiving these Valentines from  _"your secret admirer - let's keep it that way"._

This year, however, was different. Although Taemin enjoyed a little  _cat and mouse_  game, the curiosity was getting the best of him. He was in his senior year, and graduation was approaching. If anything, he just wanted to know who had been sending him the Valentines all these years. For closure, perhaps.

This year would be the year that Taemin finally discovers his secret admirer. No, let's _not_ keep it that way.

"You look unusually dapper," Kim Kibum's teasing voice rang as Taemin stared at his very  _pink_  hyung. Taemin had woken up half an hour earlier than usual to style his hair nicely and make himself look a bit more put together than usual. Well, as put together as a high school student could look at 8am.

"And you look....snazzy, Kibum hyung," Taemin chuckled, giving Kibum's pink and white _three-piece_   _suit_  a once-over as the latter replied, "it's Valentine's Day! Love is in the air!"

The two sat in their homeroom classroom before class, the chatter in the classroom especially loud due to the date - February 14th. Many girls styled their hair prettily and did their nails nicely, while a number of dudes sat nervously, avoiding eye contact at any cost.

"Not for lonely singles like me," Taemin argued, pulling at his tie, which felt too tight around his neck, "it's just another day."

"But you're not  _really_  single, are you?" Kibum teased, pinching the younger's cheek, "you've got yourself a secret admirer."

"And it's called a  _secret_  admirer for a reason, hyung," Taemin grumbled, swatting at Kibum's hand, "ergo, I have no idea who said person is."

"Fair enough," Kibum sighed, smiling devilishly before adding, "but you  _did_ try to look nice today. Planning on giving a last-minute confession to someone?"

"Nope."

"Not even Yunho hyung?"

"What the- hell no!"

"Are you-"

"That was last three years ago, hyung. Drop it."

"Alright, alright."

Kibum held his hands up in innocence as Taemin looked down at his hands, cheeks rather pink. When Taemin was a mere freshman, he fell utterly smitten with a senior named Jung Yunho, who was very popular and  _very_  good-looking. The younger had never acted on his feelings, however, and most of his first year was spent lamenting over being single and never finding someone as handsome as Yunho ever again.

"Have you gotten one yet?" Kibum asked suddenly, pulling Taemin from his depressing thoughts. The latter shrugged.

"Haven't checked yet," he replied, "they usually don't sneak it into my locket until at least lunch period. I'll let you know then."

"You'd better," Kibum snickered, "I'm curious as to what he'll send this year."

"How can you be so certain it's a dude, hyung?" Taemin hissed, giving his hyung stank eye, "and keep your voice down!"

"Oh, come on, Taemin," Kibum sighed, "it's a well-known secret that you sail differently than other ships, so to say. And since it's been the same person all these years, it's safe to say that this certain  _someone_  is not exactly female."

"Your logic is questionable."

"Tell me I'm wrong."

Taemin glared at Kibum, who simply smirked back at him.

"We'll see."

* * *

 

When lunchtime arrived, Taemin excused himself from his group of friends - Kibum, Jongin, Jonghyun, Jinki, and Sehun - to investigate his potential secret admirer. If said admirer stuck to schedule, they would either be placing the Valentine in his locker at the moment, it would have just recently happened, or it would happen very soon. Taemin had caught onto the pattern years ago and tried to catch his admirer in the act, but was always too late. This year, however, he was determined to discover who it was.

He made his way to the edge of the cafeteria and exited through the double doors, giving the teacher on duty the excuse of "I have to use the restroom" before walking quickly towards the wing where his locker was. When he reached the general area, he slowed down his walking and began to take more thoughtful, quieter steps. Just in case his admirer was there.

"Excuse me," a voice said suiddenly, making Taemin jump nearly a foot in the air, "students shouldn't be in the halls during lunch hour."

Taemin turned to see one of the science teachers, Lee Soonman, staring down at him with a raised eyebrow. Thinking quickly, Taemin smiled charmingly and replied, "I'm sorry, Sir, I was allowed to go and retrieve my chemistry textbook for study hall next period."

"Very well," Lee Sooman replied, nodding curtly, "be quick about it."

"Yes, Sir."

The teacher gave the student one last final look before turning and walking the opposite direction. Taemin stayed rooted in place for a few more moments before continuing towards his locker's wing. What he said wasn't a  _complete_  lie - he really did have to pick up his chemistry textbook. He didn't need to study at all, but it gave him the perfect excuse.

He nearly tiptoed to the corner before the hallway where his locker was and took a deep breath.

 _Deep breaths_  he thought to himself,  _it's now or never._

Inhaling deeply once more, Taemin slowly craned his neck around the corner and nearly let out a gasp. He saw a rather tall figure standing suspiciously near the set of lockers that contained his own. The person (who happened to be a male, damn you, Kibum hyung) was looking at the locker numbers quickly, nervously even. Without thinking through his actions, Taemin suddenly jumped out from behind the corner.

"I've finally got you!" he all but yelled, making the unfamiliar person jump and let out a rather high-pitched yelp. Taemin speed-walked up to the person, and when he saw who it was, his heart nearly skipped a beat.

"Ch-Choi Minho hyung?" he shrieked, eyes widening to the size of saucers

The shaggy haired heart breaker of the school was visibly shaking as Taemin stared at him. Minho was relatively popular in the school. He played volleyball and was in English language club, which Taemin was also a member of. In fact, that was one of the two places where Taemin knew Minho from. Other than that, the two only shared one class together - Advanced English. Taemin knew of Minho, but the two sat on opposite ends of the classroom and never said more than "hello" or "how are you?" to each other. Just small talk. To see Choi Minho caught red-handed with a very conspicuous Valentine in his hands was quite the site.

"T-Taemin," Minho's deep voice mumbled a couple awkward moments later, "I...d-didn't know...h-how...you're h-here?"

Choi Minho was known to be rather talkative, well-spoken, and charismatic. To see him reduced to a studdering mess was both terribly confusing and endearing to Taemin, who opened and closed his mouth multiple times like a fish.

_He's been the one sending the Valentines all these years? He's the one who has spent too much money on chocolates, plushies, and elaborate cards? I never would have thought..._

"Y-you," Taemin managed to say, slowly making his way to the taller, who was frozen on the spot, "it...it's been _you_  all these years?"

"Huh?" Minho replied dumbly, furrowing his eyebrows, "w-what are you t-talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Taemin mumbled in reply, refusing to meet the elder's eyes, "th-the Valentines...the cards...ch-chocolates...all from y-you?"

Taemin expected Minho to sigh and admit that, yes, it was him who had sent all those Valentines. That, yes, Choi Minho has been Taemin's secret admirer all these years. What he did not expect, however, was for Minho to chuckle nervously and say, "you...must be mistaken."

"But I caught you," Taemin whispered in reply, "he always puts the Valentines in my locker sometime during lunch hour...He always leaves it there...and here you are...how is it not you?"

"I...T-Taemin...I don't know..."

Minho trailed off quietly, and when Taemin finally met the latter's eyes and saw the raw confusion, his cheeks and ears quickly went red. He had made a grave mistake.

_Choi Minho is not my secret admirer..._

"I...I'm s-sorry," Taemin managed to say, lowering his gaze and taking a half step away from the elder, who frowned at the action, "I...thought...you were..."

Taemin couldn't bring himself to say "secret admirer", he was so embarrassed. He was nearly ready to hightail it out of there when Minho said, "w-wait!"

The younger inhaled deeply and dared to look up at Minho, whose own face sported a pink tint.

"I...s-still want to, you know...g-give this. To you..."

With shaky hands, the elder held out a modest white envelope with  _Lee Taemin_  written in neat handwriting - a great contrast from the lavish and expensive Valentines his secret admirer always left him. Taemin tried to move his hand up to reach for it, but it was as if his brain didn't send thet signal to his hand. He had never really thought of Choi Minho as a potential admirer. Sure, the guy was handsome, but Taemin hardly knew him. They had one class and after school club together, and that was it. He was sure Minho was a good person, but the current situation the two were in was definitely less than desirable. Unfortunately, the floor could  _not_ just open up and swallow him whole.

"P-please take it," Minho whispered in a desparate voice, biting his bottom lip, "e-even if you...d-don't accept..."

With a single shaking hand, Taemin slowly reached up to accept the white envelope from the elder, who was breathing rather heavily. He slowly opened the envelope, as if afraid to rip anything, and after what seemed like an eternity, finally pulled the card out. When Taemin saw it, he couldn't help but let out a weird noise betwen a laugh and a snort. The front of the [card](https://blog.befunky.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Funny-Valentines-Day-Card1.png) had a picture of a winking cartoon banana and bold text saying "I find you very a-peeling" on top of an obscenely large pink heart. He opened the card and read the rather long note.

_Hello Taemin._

_To be honest, I'm not very good at these kind of things. Confessions, I mean. So rather than trying to write some sappy backstory about how I fell for you after months of pining after you, I'll just get to the point...I think I like you. I mean, I do like you. It's just that I don't know you very well...This isn't based just off your appearance though...I mean, you're ~~pretty~~ ~~cute~~ ~~hot~~ attractive, that's for sure, but... ~~I don't know how to continue~~...I know you're kind and intelligent, and if you'd let me, I'd like to get to know you better. I know it's senior year and we all see graduation coming up...but I guess I would like to get to know you a bit more these next couple months. Maybe that will make the time go by slower. I'm willing to risk it. For you. For us?_

_I'm sorry I never told you earlier...Damn...I've liked you since the beginning of the school year and just now plucked up the courage to tell you...if you can call this courage...writing a secret Valentine to you...I'm just shy. Much more shy than people think...._

_I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like you a lot and would like to at least get to know you more. Maybe go on a date or two? Do you like kissing? I like kissing. Gosh, this is getting too cheesy. I should stop._

_Choi Minho_

Taemin slowly raised his head to see Minho, which was 50 shades redder than before. The two looked each other in the eyes for nearly 10 seconds before Minho managed to whisper, "please say something..."

"I liked the card!" Taemin blurted out, covering his mouth immediately after the words left his mouth. That was  _not_  what he wanted to say. Not even close. However, his anxiety died down a little when he saw Minho smile softly and let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Glad I chose well."

The two stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, and Taemin was about ready to say something when they heard a third person clear his throat rather loudly. The pair turned to see a rather disgruntled Lee Sooman giving them both disapproving looks.

"I am certain that I told you two to grab your books and head back to lunch," he said, eyeing the two suspiciously, "and yet you're still here..."

"We're sorry," Minho said quickly, bowing deeply and kicking Taemin gently. Taking a hint, Taemin bowed apologetically also, "we just started talking and didn't notice the time."

"Just grab your books," Lee Sooman replied curtly, nodding to the boys once they stood up straight, "now, come on, let me see you."

Embarrassed and still blushing slightly, Taemin took a few steps to find locker number "156", put in his lock's combination, and then opened his locker, which happened to be void of any extravagent Valentine. Both disappointed and relieved, Taemin grabbed his chemistry textbook and then slammed his locker shut, careful to keep hold of Minho's cheesy yet very sweet letter. The latter had also quickly grabbed his history textbook, and after giving each other amused looks, walked back to the lunchroom together with Lee Sooman behind them.

"Stay out of trouble," he had told the boys once they reached the loud lunchroom, "and no more wandering around during lunchtime, you hear me?"

"Yes, Sir," Taemin and Minho had replied in unison.

"Good. Now go, the period is almost over."

With those final words, the old teacher turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the two teenagers alone. They slowly turned to each other, more embarrassed than before.

"M-Minho-"

"Taemin-"

The two spoke in unison, and both shut up immediately. Minho nodded to the younger, who inhaled and continued in a small voice, "I...I want to, you know...get to know you..."

The elder, whose eyes were wide in anticipation, quickly turned to half-moons upon hearing Taemin's words. His smile was bright and pure, and the mere sight made Taemin's cheeks heat up again. However, the moment was interrupted by the obnoxious class bell, which rang for what seemed like another eternity. The two grabbed their bags, said goodbye to their friends, and then made their way to a private corner of the lunchroom. The two looked at each other again and both smiled awkwardly. Taemin's heart was beating exceptionally hard when Minho handed him a small piece of paper.

"Since I probably won't see you again the rest of the day," he said quietly, playing with his fingers, "maybe we can talk...later, I mean...on the phone..."

_Gosh, Minho is so endearing._

Deciding to take a huge risk, Taemin chuckled and leaned in a little and asked in a teasing voie, "you had you number prepared to give me?"

"It's embarrassing," Minho mumbled in reply, refusing to meet the younger's eyes, "don't make me regret my decision..."

Taemin couldn't help but smile gingerly. He glanced at his watch, and noted that he had exactly 42 seconds to make it to his studyhall across the school.

"I'll consider calling you," he teased again, making Minho glare at him playfully, "since you're cute."

With that last comment, he turned and headed towards his classroom, heart swollen tenfold and cheeks hurting from smiling.

* * *

 

"Can't believe how cringey we were," Taemin chuckled, sipping on a glass of Cabernet, "and to think that was just one year ago."

Taemin did end up calling Minho that same day after school. He decided to give Minho and chance, and by god, was that one of his best decisions. The two hit it off immediately, and within just a week of running into each other on Valentine's Day, they declared themselves official. Some said they moved too fast, while others congratulated them (especially Minho for finally "growing a pair and confessing")

Their relationship was a little awkward at first, but as the weeks went on, the two learned a lot about each other, just as any couple should. They started out with holding hands, then moved onto hugs. After a month of being official, the two finally shared their first  _real_ kiss (apparently, quick kisses to the cheek and forehead didn't count as their first kiss) while watching the stars by the lake.

Taemin and Minho did graduate, and they did end up enrolling in different universities. However, their schools were relatively close to each other, and because of this, they managed to get small two room apartment roughly between them. It was rough at first, since their class schedules were so different. However, they managed to make it work, and once they got into a routine, they were perfectly happy.

It was a Friday evening - Valentine's Day that next year, and the two were cuddled up on their loveseat. Taemin had shimmied himself really close to Minho, who had covered both of them with a blanket. On top of the loveseat sat their new Russian Blue kitten, whom they named Pickles (courtesy of Minho).

"I'm so glad I decided to confess," Minho mumbled in reply, nuzzling into Taemin's neck, "best decision  _ever._ "

The latter smiled fondly and hummed contently, the warmth of the wine flowing through his body.

"Taemin," Minho said suddenly, curiosity evident in his voice, "did you ever find out who your secret admirer was in the end?"

Taemin sighed, took another small sip of wine, and nodded slowly.

"Do you remember Kim Jongin?" he asked in a quiet voice. Minho nodded. "Wasn't he on the track team?"

The younger nodded.

"Yeah, he was also a good friend of mine. He congratulated me last Valentine's Day, actually. Told me he had heard the news. Explained that it had been him all those other years, the one who sent all the elaborate Valentines...We were good friends, and his internal crisis was just eating away at him slowly... Told me he finally decided to call it quits senior year. Started going out with that Park Chanyeol guy."

"So...he wasn't mad at you for, you know...accepting me?" Minho asked in a small voice, pouting slightly. Taemin couldn't help but smile and lean in to peck the latter on the lips. 

"Not in the slightest," he replied, "he knew there was no chance of us happening, so he moved on. Like I said, he was so happy for me. For us."

"That's a relief," Minho replied, smiling evily before trapping the younger in a tangle of arms and legs, "because I was not planning on sharing you anytime soon!"

The two then engaged in a fierce tickle battle, arms and legs flying every which way, the room filled with shrieks and giggles, only stopping when Taemin's left foot knocked over his wine glass. The two stopped immediately, and the scene was utter chaos. Minho had Taemin pinned under him, their hair messy and faces flushed. The sound of shattering glass had scared Pickles away, and after a few moments of silence, the couple burst out laughing. The sight of Minho's pure smile and the sound of his laugh made Taemin's heart swell, and as their laughter died down, he leaned up and placed his lips onto Minho's. The elder froze for  moment before relaxing entirely and slowly kissing back. He released Taemin's wrist and moved his hands to gently cup his face. Taemin's hands travled around a little before landing on Minho's shoulders. The two continued for a few moments before Taemin leaned back a little and, in barely above a whisper, breathed, "I love you."

"Gosh, my heart," Minho whispered in reply, kissing Taemin once more before leaning back and breathing back, "I love you too."

The couple's eyes met, and in that moment, they knew that that cheesy banana themed Valentine was the best thing to ever happen.

 


End file.
